Display card holder



Oct 24, 1933. e. s. MALCOLM DISPLAY CARD HOLDER Filed Sept. 10, 1952 INVENTOR ATTORNEY lower portion of said edge.

Patented Oct. 24, 1933 DISPLAY CARD HOLDER George S. Malcolm, Auburn, Calif.

Application September 10, 1932 Serial No. 632,519

6 Claims.

This invention relates to card holders for store shelves and particularly represents improvements over the structures for a like purpose showmin my Patents No. 1,867,920 dated July 19, 1932, and No. 1,873,611, dated August 29, 1932. The main objects of the present invention are to simplify the device both as regards its construction and assemblying over the two previous types; and also to arrange the card holder and the springs engaging the same so that if the card above the holder should be deflected outwardly and downwardly by the removal of a package from behind the same, the holder will yield both outwardly and downwardly thus preventing the possible breaking of the card along the plane of contact of the holder therewith.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

-In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a store shelf arrangement showing my latest price card holders mounted in connection therewith.

Fig. 2 is an end view of a holder as mounted on a shelf and with a card in place.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the holder and shelf showing the action of the holder as the card is deflected outwardly.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan perspective of a length of holder as mounted on a shelf, showing one of the springs before being engaged with the mounting pin of the holder.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the numeral 1 denotes a merchandise supporting shelf on which the goods 2 of various kinds are supported in segregated order as usual and as indicated in Fig. 1.

The card holder for any one shelf between the usual partitions thereof comprises a strip 3 extending lengthwise of and under the shelf adv jacent its forward edge. This strip is of relatively '45 thin sheet metal and is formed with an upstanding lip 4 along the entire front length of the same and which extends in front of the front edge of the shelf in angled and overlapping relation to the The holder strip may extend the full length between adjacent shelf partitions or the holders may be made in a number of sections for each such length of shelf.

The strip also has a depending forwardly Y angled lip or flange 5 along its back edge which not only reinforces the strip against buckling but has another purpose as well, as will be seen. Cut through the strip at intervals intermediate the front and back lips are transverse slots 6 through which holding pins 7 project into the wood of the shelf. These pins may be either screws or nails and in any event have enlarged heads 7 which normally clear the strip a certain distance so that the latter can have limited vertical play between the shelf and the heads of the pins.

In order to yieldably hold the front lip against the shelf and also yieldably hold the strip itself against the bottom of the shelf I provide a special form of spring, one such spring being associated with each pin.

Each spring comprises a pair of diverging legs 9 connected at their adjacent ends by an integral curved saddle portion 10 adaptedto engage under the head of the pin on its back side. The direct distance from the opposite ends of the legs to the saddle when the spring is slack is greater than 7 the distance from the back flange 5 to the pin. Thus when the saddle is engaged with the pin the legs are necessarily spread somewhat and being placed under tension, exert a pressure on the back flange 5 (in the angle of which the ends of the legs are located) to pull the front lip 4 against the shelf.

Projecting forwardly from the rear ends of the legs in diverging relation to each other are extensions 11 which project toward the front of the holder strip. These extensions do not lie in-the plane of the legs but in a plane at an angle and in such relation thereto that when the spring is slack or disconnected from thepin and the extensions are resting flatly on the strip, said legs extend at a downward angle relative to the strip or so that the saddle is below the head of the pin as shown in Fig. 4. When the saddle is engaged with the pin therefore, not only are the legs themselves placed under tension to hold the lip 4 against the shelf as previously stated, but the extensions also are placed under tension relative to the legs and act to yieldably press the strip against the shelf. The degree of the latter tension may be governed by adjusting the pins and thus altering the distance between the pin heads and the shelf.

By means of this arrangement it will be seen that any number of price tags 12 preferably of equal thickness may be supported by any one holder at whatever position in the length of strip or shelf may be desired. The lower edges of the tags are gripped between the lip 4 and the front edge of the shelf, the gripping action being aided by the angular setting of the lip. With my improved arrangement the cards may be fairly thick and substantial without any danger of breaking if deflected along the plane of engagement of the lip with the card. This is because such deflected card will impart a downward as well as outward movement to the strip and lip as shown in Fig. 3, so that the lip remains at practically a constant angle relative to the card and the latter is not destructively bent. This deflection of the card, and the accompanying downward tilting of the strip, so that the card will not be bent along the line of engagement of the lip therewith and its angular setting relative to the lip altered, is plainly shown in Fig. 3. The thin sheet metal as now preferably used for the strip gives it flexibility and enables this deflecting action to take place along the length of any one card without the adjacent card being materially disturbed.

Also, apart from the desired action above described the particular form of spring now used does away with any accurate positioning of the head of the pin relative to the shelf being necessary, with the assurance that the strip will always be held up against the shelf without any actual binding being had.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by I the appended claims.

shelf comprising a strip to extend lengthwise of and under the shelf, an upstanding lip along the front edge of the strip adapted to overlap the front edge of the shelf to clamp a card against said shelf, a flange depending from the back of the strip, means mounting said strip on the shelf for limited horizontal and vertical movement relative thereto, and springs between said mounting means and the flange to yieldably hold both the lip and strip against the shelf.

2. A card holder for use in connection with a shelf comprising a strip to extend lengthwise of and under the shelf, an upstanding lip along the front edge of the strip adapted to overlapthe front edge of the shelf to clamp a card against said shelf, a flange depending from the back of the strip, the strip having spaced transverse slots, headed pins projecting through the slots into the shelf, and springs each comprising diverging legs connected at their adjacent ends and engaged under tension at such ends under the head of a pin at the back; the opposite ends of the legs bearing against the flange.

3. A card holder for use in connection with a shelf comprising a strip to extend lengthwise of and under the shelf, an upstanding lip along the front edge of the strip adapted to overlap the front edge of the shelf to clamp a card against said shelf, a flange depending from the back of the strip, the strip having spaced transverse slots, headed pins projecting through the slots into the shelf, the heads of the pins being spaced from the strip when the latter is flatly engaged with the shelf, and springs each comprising diverging legs connected at their adjacent ends and engaged under tension at such ends under the head of a pin at the back, the opposite ends of the legs bearing against the back flange, and extensions formed with and projecting forwardly from the rear ends of the legs and bearing against the strip, said extensions lying in a plane at an angle to that of the legs in such a direction that when said legs are engaged with the pin, the extensions are under tension and act to yieldably force the strip against the shelf.

4. A card holder for use in connection with a shelf comprising a strip to extend lengthwise of and under the shelf, an upstanding lip along the front edge of the strip adapted to overlap the front edge of the shelf to clamp a card against said shelf, a flange depending from the back of the strip, the strip having spaced transverse slots, headed pins projecting through the slots into the shelf, and springs each comprising diverging legs connected at their adjacent ends and en gaged under tension at such ends under the head of a pin at the back; the opposite ends of the legs bearing against the flange whereby to draw the strip rearwardly and force the lip against the front edge of the shelf, and means formed with each spring to also and separately exert an upward pressure on the strip to yieldably hold the same against the shelf.

5. A card holder for a shelf comprising a strip to extend under and lengthwise of the shelf, an upstanding lip on the front edge of the strip to overlap the front edge of the shelf to clamp a card against the shelf, means to support the strip from the shelf for limited movement transversely and vertically thereof, and springs acting on the strip to yieldably push the same upwardly against the shelf, and independently to yieldably pull the lip against the edge of the'shelf.

6. A card holder for use in connection with a shelf comprising a strip to extend lengthwise of the shelf, a lip along the front edge of the strip adapted to overlap the front edge of the shelf to clamp a card against said shelf, members secured on and projecting from the shelf at intervals along the length of the strip, and springs between said members and the strip and acting on the latter to yieldably and independently hold the lip and strip against the shelf.

GEORGE S. MALCOLM. 

